Warmest Blanket

If you’re looking for the best / warmest blanket for winter, this guide is likely where your search ends. Since we initially published it, we tweaked the types and price ranges to fit a wide range of needs, preferences & budgets.

Most of these (11 out of 12) are for home use, but the latest update includes one reccomendation for the outdoors (5th on the list).

The ratings you’ll see are fruit of over 2,000 work hours & 67 products analyzed based on data from 7 separate sources – we update the ratings monthly to keep the information fresh and relevant at all times.

We’ll go through it all – from types of winter blankets to choose from, through the quality analysis to the ever-so-important satisfaction of the users.

Last updated: March 2019

First things first – watch Andy’s short explanation on finding exactly what you’re looking for.

If you are our regular reader, you’ll notice that this update did not bring any significant changes in the ratings of “the classics.”

What did change, however, is the scope of the blanket types we looked at. This change is a direct result of the feedback of our readers. As time goes by, we learn more about the different definitions of “warmth” and how it balances with other quality aspects. In other words, we continue to work on improving this guide to be more accurate on what most people define as “warm” and continue to expand into new types of products to make it more complete.

In other words, we do our best to have it all in mind and improve the guide to cover more ground, needs or price-wise. With that said, let’s get to the detailed analysis of each product.

Best blanket for winter overall

Poyett Motte Aubisque

If you’re looking for a regular blanket (without added heat sources), nothing beats natural wool and, within that category, in our opinion and based on the stats, no blankets we looked at beats the time-tested quality of Poyet Motte.

The tradition of Poyet Motte

It’s hard to choose where to start and what quality aspects to stress when talking about this blanket. The tradition of the company probably deserves an article of its own, since we are 10 years away from Poyet Motte celebrating their 200th anniversary. Currently, they are the leading European blankets manufacturer.

But let’s get back to things that can directly affect your decision.

First of all, it’s one of the few blankets that are consistently above the rating of 92% in user satisfaction. That’s no small thing if you have in mind fact that there are similar blankets with a lower price tag.

As we said, we simplify the results by boiling down the ratings to a few simple numbers but, on our side of things, getting to that number is anything but simple.

With objective ratings, we go into the nitty-gritty like craftsmanship, both general and imperfections on arrival and developed with prolonged use. This includes things like loose stitches, changes in shape, pilling (when applicable).

On the subjective side, we analyze how satisfied the users are with specific aspects. For this guide, we adjusted our statistical model to put more emphasis on aspects that the more important for winter blankets.

Long story short, in most of the categories above, Poyet Motte was either dominant or in the top 3 in each update.

In terms of Temperature regulation for the winter, this blanket is at the sweet spot between the nature of the fabric (virgin wool), the density of the weave and breathability.

If you look at other similar blankets, 9 out of 10 times, you won’t even see the 3 most important aspects mentioned – density (thickness of the fibers used), weight per square meter and whether it’s recycled.

That part is especially important with wool, because fiber, ply and yarn make all the difference – you can see Poyet Motte compared side by side with typical wool blanket in the picture.

There’s a reason for that – most of the times, the reason is that these aspects of blankets are nothing to write home about. Poyet Motte is an exception.

The fibers are so fine (33 microns) that they can be we weaved into a blanket of 500 g/m² (GSM). Also, it’s important to mention that the company uses Woolmark licensed Virgin wool.

Warmth rating96%

Moisture wicking vs. Temperature isolation95%

Comfort / feel / softness93%

Owner satisfaction95%

Value for $96%

What it all means for you

Most of us had that conversation about how products are made these days.

There are two sides typically involved in this kind of conversation. You are either on the more experienced side talking about “the good old days” or on the other side that shrugs it off and saying that “it’s just the way things are today.”

Poyet Motte taste type of product that would satisfy the criteria of both sides. In terms of longevity it’s fair to say that this is an heirloom blanket that’s likely to be in your family for decades.

In terms of value for money, in our opinion, it’s worth every cent.

One downside could be the fact that it’s not always available in all sizes and color combinations. Over the course of the last 3 years (since we first published this guide), we have seen it go in and out of stock in some sizes and colors

The bottom line

If Poyet Motte is available in your preferred size-color combo, our advice would be not to over think. Chances of being disappointed by this blanket are slim to none.

You can see what the owners are saying about it, current price and size-color combos currently available by following the link below.

Warmest electric blanket

The competition for the title of “warmest electric blanket” is fierce. For the potential buyer, this is a good thing because it means higher quality products at lower prices.

In this category, we’re choosing the Sunbeam Luxurious.

What gave it an edge over similar products is the category of value for money.

This chunk of the market has made significant leaps over the past decade or so, primarily in terms of safety and seamlessness/versatility of the controls.

Consistency for the win

The difference in those paramount quality aspects is not as significant as it was when we talked about wool. A few products from top companies have been locking horns for the top spots in pretty much every update.

This is one of the blankets that kept its place in the top 5 – it’s been there since we first published the guide and all subsequent updates, both in this guide and in the top 10 heated blankets with you can see here.

Rating this type of blanket is slightly different than simply rating the quality. We included a slight adjustment to account for the balance between the weight and the warmth.

Warmth rating96%

Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking89%

Comfort / feel / softness93%

Owner satisfaction84%

Value for $94%

Bottom line

Initially, this adjustment in rating methodology wasn’t a part for statistical analysis and we only included it based on the feedback from our featured testers and readers.

The reason is that it’s not only about the warmth. The soothing effect of thicker blanket is now a part of the rating process. Granted, it is a secondary factor, but it is there as means to adjust the ratings to what people are looking for in a good winter blanket.

If it wasn’t there, there would be a number of blankets with an independent heat source that could be practically rated the same. We’re including this explanation to make the ratings clearer.

What matters most…

We mentioned that these blankets have seen some significant improvements. Two that stand out are the auto shutoff function and preheating.

Initially, the products that included both were more expensive, but things leveled down with time and this sunbeam is the perfect example. It comes with both features and yet, it’s in the same price range as blankets that include only one (and in some cases none) of the two.

It’s also worth noting that the blanket is covered by a 5-year warranty.

You can see what owners are saying as well as all color options by following the link on the red button below.

Velvet Berber Premium Soft

We have been reviewing blankets for years now and it’s only once in a blue moon that you see a product with the kind of stats the Velvet Berber has in user satisfaction.

To be specific, we have seen overall rating in this category this high, but almost never see a blanket with a 5-star rating from 9 out of 10 people.

That’s what makes the Velvet Berber unique.

It might not be the warmest per se, but in the bigger picture (balance between all quality aspects), the fact that it has been among the Top 5 winter blankets for 12 consecutive updates now is well-deserved.

Premium Sherpa & Sculpted Velvet by Home Fashion Designs

If there is a blanket on the list that made us subjective, it’s the Beilzss. The price tag is slightly higher than that of most similar products, but in our opinion, it’s worth every penny.

On the downside, we have seen the it go in and out of stock. So, if you really need to treat yourself and do find it available, it might the indulgence you need. Also, the data volume that we have is not big enough to rate it in the category of owner satisfaction – that’s why you’ll see that rating ommited below.

There is no blanket on the list that can transform the look of a bedroom more than this luxurious piece.

It’s also one of two products we listed as “exceptions” because we don’t have the data volume to rate it. With this one, we just couldn’t help ourselves.

The competition in this category was close – between the ZEFABAK and a few other products. Without getting into the nitty-gritty of it all, what made the difference is the power (density vs. weight) of the natural fill.

In other words, blankets that would be as warm for the outdoors cost more and those in its price range or lower don’t really come close to the heat-retention & reflection properties.

Overall Rating

Warmest electric blanket among reversibles

Shavel Micro Plush

This Shavel is one of the blankets that made us make an exception in terms of our rules for the statistical analysis. When we say that we’re referring to the fact that it’s yet to meet the volume standards for the data we have, which is why we don’t yet have a rating for it.

The reason for making an exception are the numbers in user satisfaction category that we have seen so far. We’ve been reviewing blankets for over a decade now and, in the that time, one develops a “nose” for patterns.

Unless Shavel changes something significant about this blanket, we’re confident that this product “arrived” and is here to stay.

Warmth rating96%

Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking85%

Comfort / feel / softness95%

Value for $88%

Owner satisfaction89%

Another reason that made us include it in the group of best winter blankets is the reversible construction.

As we mentioned previously, it’s our opinion that a good winter blanket is not simply warmest, it’s more about the balance between all of its properties.

To be more specific, a thicker, cozier blanket like this will be warmer at a lower heat setting.

Again, we rarely make exceptions, and the fact that we did for this Shavel speaks volumes.

Creswick Luxurious Lightweight by Australian Mills

The runner-up in the wool category is the Creswick Luxurious by Creswick Australian Mills.

In many ways, it’s similar to the Poyet Motte above with the main difference being the weave.

The fibers are even finer (23 micron) which means that it feels somewhat lighter. With the fibers being fine as they are, the finish of the Creswick feels less rugged. Since it initially appeared on Amazon, its popularity grew to the point where counterfeit products started appearing.
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At one point, the company itself pointed this out in their listing of the product, warning about the counterfeits.

Our stats

We made sure to only closely follow the original blanket and base our stats on that.

If wool is your choice, the decision will come down to the fact that Creswick is a bit lighter and thinner than Poyet Motte, which is only natural if you have the fine fibers in mind.

It’s also worth noting that, typically, the finer the fibers the more luxurious the blanket feels and the price usually follows.

Warmth rating90%

Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking96%

Comfort / feel / softness94%

Owner satisfaction79%

Value for $85%

What this means for you

It means that the blankets made of fibers this fine are not cheap. With that said, we did look at other blankets in the same micron range and most of them were significantly expensive than the Creswick.

That’s why one of our ratings is “value for money” instead of simply price.

It also means that the blanket is not as heavy and not as a warm as those of “sturdier weave”. On the other hand, it’s better in terms of adjusting to the shape of the sleeper’s body – a category we like to call “hug.”

The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a lightweight winter blanket, the Creswick Luxurious might be just right for you.

Warmest blanket among fleeces

If you prefer a minky blanket to wool and if you’re not interested in the self-heating products, our top choice among classics is the FreeLife Super Warm.

You would think that choosing a good, warm fleece blanket is simpler.

Not really, understanding a few aspects of micro-fabrics is a must if you don’t want to end up with a blanket that will lose the delicate texture you initially got it for.

It’s all about the type of polyester-polyamide combo.

Indications of quality

The type of machines used to make good microfiber are not cheap (especially if it’s split microfiber), so there are many companies out there that compromise in the manufacturing process.

The tricky part here is that, while new, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the types of blankets. That’s why microfiber earned the label of cheap fabric. In reality, a well-made blanket of this type can last just as long as any other.

More importantly, it won’t be prone to losing the “feel”, shape or look.

If you look at things that way, choosing right becomes just as intricate as with any other type.

Let’s cut the long story short – rules of thumb:

go with a blanket that’s rated both for the dryer and the machine (if the instructions list “hand-wash” only, it can be an indicator of the low-quality blend)

go with blankets that include a warranty that pertains to shrinking and fading (if that’s not mentioned, most of the time, you’re looking at a product that will do just that – change shape or not be as soft)

go with the blanket that offers a full refund (if there’s an all-in-one indication of quality it’s this – if the company uses a sub-par blend, it doesn’t make financial sense for them to offer a warranty)

Warmth rating92%

Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking84%

Comfort / feel / softness94%

Owner satisfaction82%

Value for $90%

Freelife Super Warm ticks all the boxes

If you compare the price of the free life to other blankets of this type (all-fleece), it might seem expensive.

That’s why the analysis above is important – because not all fleece or microfiber is created equal.

This is a premium 330 GSM blanket with a price tag to match. More importantly, it’s time-tested product with 100s of user reviews. You can see them all at the link below.

Honorable mention
Fishers Finery thin throw

Let’s be clear from the get-go here – on its own, this is not the warmest blanket ever and does not qualify to be a good choice for winter as a standalone product – it’s too thin & light for that.

We’re including it because, since we first published our picks, we’ve been getting questions from people asking how to add a bit of balm without piling up weight.

Cashmere is the answer

Cashmere that would be thick enough to keep you cozy in the winter on its own would cost a small fortune. As reference, it takes two goat undercoats for just one sweater.

Note that we’re not saying wool but “undercoat” (which is the fine layer under the wool). The undercoat is hand-combed before it can be used in confectionery products – that’s why these blankets are so thin.

Warmth rating74%

Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking95%

Comfort / feel / softness95%

Owner satisfaction87%

Value for $89%

It’s not realistically possible to compare heat-retention qualities of a throw like this to that of wool, let alone flannel or other materials. To do that, you’d have to have two products of same ply and yarn.

With that said, comparison of fiber-to-fiber can come as a shock – Cashmere is 7 to 8 times warmer than wool. The catch is that it is scarce and expensive, so it’s not used for thick blankets – when it isused used in bedding, it’s typically light throws like this.

So, the bottom line here is that this Fishers Finery blanket might be to choice of people looking to cozy up on the sofa with a thin and lightweight, yet soft, warm blanket throw for a nice winter nap.

Reference info & tips on choosing the best blanket for winter

If for some reason you didn’t like any of our top picks, the remainder of this guide we’ll go over some reference info on choosing right.

It also might be useful insight into why the products we mentioned are a good choice.

At any point, you can skip back to the top table by clicking the orange button.

Warmest blanket material

It’s not simple to choose the material and describe it as “warmest” because some image the materials we mentioned are not used in the same way as others.

A good example of that is Cashmere. We already mentioned that, if you compared it to wool (same fiber thickness), it can be up to 800% warmer.

That fact alone doesn’t pain the whole picture when it comes to blankets because there are no blankets of this type that there as thick. The ones that are available are typically thin, lightweight throws.

So, it’s fairly accurate to say that wool is the warmest material.

Why that’s not the full story

In our testing and analysis (based in the owners we talked to and publicly available experiences), we would say that the title of “the warmest blanket for winter” typically goes to products with most well-balanced temperature isolation, weight/hug & mosisture wicking properties.

In case you missed it, “hug” is a quality that we introduced to our testing and rating. To put it simply, it describes how well a blanket contours around your body.

The decision process

It’s easy to get lost in all the lingo when choosing the warmest blanket for winter. So let us take a step back and craft a system of sorts that outlines the steps a smart buyer will make.

Think about the size

Most people skip this step because it seems pretty straightforward. Nonetheless, when we analyzed the complaints of people who weren’t satisfied and had complaints, almost 7% of those were regarding the size.

In some cases, this is a result of companies using the descriptive sizing. In case you have your eye on a product that doesn’t release specific dimensions, let’s clarify what it typically means.

For example, a King size winter blanket would be 108×90 inches, while Double/full/Queen size will be 90 x 90 “. In some cases, the product listings might deviate from these standards. It’s rarely happens in the bigger sizes like King and when it does, it’s almost never smaller. What you might see is a king-size measuring 108 times x 108 “.

A good rule of thumb here is to go with a bed blanket that’s big enough to cover the top of your mattress and has a few extra inches on the sides.

Warmest materials – side-by-side comparison

We don’t have a lot of ground to cover here because we mentioned the material aspect of the choice in pretty much every section of this guide.

So, let’s reiterate:

Wool – we already labeled wool as top-tier material (with a few caveats about ply and yarn). It would be an oversimplification to label it as “top choice” because there are other factors at play (like the price and versatility). What we mean when we say versatility is whether you can use it in other seasons besides winter.

When it comes to price, it’s somewhat more expensive than fleece or microfiber. On the other hand, that ties into “seasonal value.” A thick warm fleece blanket that would be a good choice for winter will probably be too hot for other seasons.

That’s not the case with wool – it has a unique property to keep you comfortable on cold nights and isolate you from the heat come spring or autumn.

Fleece/microfiber – combination of microfiber and other synthetics that feel natural and plush are one of the most popular choices. Based on the conversations and, in some cases, full interviews with the owners, the appearance plays a big role here.

About 80% of the people we talked to sound the cozy, luxurious look of minky micro fabrics or fuzzy combinations to be visually more appealing.

We also mentioned that not all blankets of this type are created equal and that most of those that are on the cheaper side tend to be sub-par in retention, both in terms of weight and tactile qualities (the softness).

Knitted /crochet acrylic – not the most popular choice, but a viable one, especially for people allergic to wool.

How comfortable are you with added weight?

This should be an important step when choosing the best blanket for winter. We already said a few times that the better heat-retention properties don’t necessarily mean superior.

Some people will be more comfortable with a thin, lightweight winter blanket while others find the added weight and thickness to be soothing. In our research, we found that the ratio between the two groups of people is approximately 2 to 8.

This means that 2 out of 10 people will be more comfortable with lightweight throws. If you belong to this group, you’ll probably be better off with a heated blanket. These allow you to get that balmy feeling without the weight. You can see our complete guide and list of our choices among electric blankets here.

If you belong to the majority, you’re not likely to be disappointed by any of the products we listed as our top picks. On the other hand, if weight is a crucial factor for you, and it can be in people with anxiety, you might consider a different approach all-together – blankets with added weight. You can see out list of top 5 weighted blankets here.

Is your skin sensitive?

The wool products we listed don’t have that scratchy quality that most people don’t like, both have a delicate finish with satin edges.

If you’re researching beyond that, do bear it in mind and.

Fabric strength

Strength of the fabric is the quality category for doesn’t make much sense on its own unless you’re planning a window escape.

In our ratings, strength is incorporated as a secondary factor into the shape retention and longevity ratings, because it does it play a part.

Fiber to fiber comparison between synthetics and wool will have an obvious winner every time – this synthetics fiber. So that’s not a discussion to be had.

If we’re talking wool, the rankings in terms of fiber strength would be the following (weakest to strongest):

South down

Lincoln

Merino

Mohair

Alpaca

So, since Mohair & Alpaca are typically used in smaller throws and cost much more, the conclusion is pretty much the same and leads us back to Merino as the warmest material.

Choosing a warm outdoor blanket

If you’re looking for a warm outdoor blanket, things get a bit trickier because you have to factor in the elements. For dry and cold weather, down is superior, but for humid conditions, you’re better of with down alternative.

Winter blanket vs. all-season

Another thing to keep in mind is how you plan to use the blanket – is it a winter-dedicated or multi-season.

Materials like wool are both warm and breathable. This type allows for multi-season use while others are primarily made to be warm and are likely to be stored come spring.

On the other hand, you have the lightweight options that do offer warmth but are not very likely to be enough on their own for harsh winters.

If you ask us, we’re always for simplifying life. In this case, it means getting a soft, warm blanket for bed that will play one role. The more you get into the nitty-gritty of the balance between heat-isolation, weight, moisture wicking…the complicated the choice. That’s just our 2 cents.

Share your thoughts & qualify for our giveaway

If you have questions or feel like there are aspects of choosing that we haven’t covered, drop us a comment below or email us directly. Do you have an opinion on what’s the warmest blanket ever?

Sharing your experience with a specific product would make your contributor and qualify you for our $1000 worth annual giveaway in sleep products.

Don’t be shy, we love hearing from our readers and respond to all correspondence within one day.

4 Comments

Patricianne Campbell
on October 31, 2018 at 10:13 pm

Hi,
Fantastic review! Thank you for the wealth of information I never knew was out there! Actually we live in an older home up in the mountains and I wanted to make a lining for drapes that would help keep the cold out. My first thoughts were of wool or flannel since all my winter sheets have been flannel since I was a kid & they’ve sure helped keep me warm.
My thoughts on wool are from “BO”, my horse. Rather than buying him a usual horse blanket, I wanted something I knew would be breathable, warm and wick well after coming in from a ride on a cold day (just like my wool socks) and dealing with a cold barn throughout the icy nights, it wasn’t a big challenge, just a trip to the Military Surplus Store for a good quality wool blanket. Well, it caught on and I wound up making blankets for quite a few of the horses who already owned the ‘quilted store-boughts’.
I totally agree with you regarding wool and truly appreciate the enlightening information you’ve shared. Keep up the great work!
As for the drapes, I’ll do some more research and may give it a go with the wool over flannel and see what happens, not sure if anyone’ tried that yet or perhaps they have and are keeping it a secret. Wish me luck 🙂
Have a Happy Day and a wonderful future.

Hallo,
I was reading your article about blankets.I like the wool very much,but my concern is the cleaning.I do not like the dry cleaning,using chemicals,and expensive.I would prefer something washable in my washing maschin at home.I have a wool program.So,what is your opinion about the cleaning? Thank you for your help!!! Lili

Thanks for reaching out. Washing wool in a machine is an option but there are two main issues. The first one are the chemicals from the detergent (you can control this one by choosing a detergent designed not to break the protein of the wool fiber). The second one is trickier – the shrinkage. In fact, shrinkage is not even the right word because nothing really shrinks on the molecular level. What happens is the fibers of the wool interlock.

It’s almost impossible to completely avoid the second issue but you can wash it in a way that will minimize the interlocking. If the program on your machine is marked “wool” it probably means gentle swaying of the blanket instead of aggressive tumbling (it goes without saying that cycles with agitation are a huge no-no, it’s what does most of the damage).

To sum up, if you haven’t washed your blanket. I’d advise to wash a cheaper wool item (like a scarf of something) and see how much it changes and whether the machine cycle is really wool-friendly. If you’re not satistfied with the results, the middle ground would be hand-washing the blanket.

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